Enduring the Storm
by dennyj
Summary: Sequel to Bedlam-follows immediately on from that story. Daniel's teammates have rescued him from the inhuman conditions of the prison, but will they still lose him?
1. Chapter 1

**Enduring the Storm**

**Chapter 1**

By Denny J

Jack's elation was short-lived as Daniel's eyes slid shut.

"Sir?" Carter hovered, voice shaking.

"He's alive." Jack could hear the rattling breaths, reassuring him Daniel was just unconscious. "We need to get him out of here, ASAP." Jack slipped off his BDU shirt and wrapped it around Daniel's torso.

"I will carry him, O'Neill."

"No, I've got him. You just clear a path." Teal'c was the best choice for that, besides, he was reluctant to let go of Daniel, even if it was to place him in Teal'c's capable hands.

With one hand under Daniel's shoulders, Jack slid his other arm under Daniel's legs and lifted, cursing at how much weight his friend had lost. He stood and faced Carter. "Watch our six, Major."

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Yes, sir."

"T—lead the way." Jack cradled Daniel closely, ignoring the festering wounds and the stench of unwashed flesh. This was Daniel, and he was alive.

He followed Teal'c back through the cells full of living corpses. Did they even feed these people? Or just leave them here to starve to death? The emaciated body in his arms was his answer.

"Sir." Carter had stopped and Jack turned back to her, following her gaze to a ragged figure chained to the floor, an outstretched hand held pleadingly towards her.

"Carter, they can't walk out on their own and we can't carry them all."

"But Daniel would—"

"I _know _what Daniel would want, but we can't—you know that." Did she really think he wanted to leave all these people here? He had to focus on saving Daniel—it was the only thing that would get him through this.

Carter swiped at her eyes again, turned towards him, pulled herself together, and nodded her agreement.

Jack resumed following Teal'c back through the second gate and into the storm of shrieks and moans and grasping hands. Teal'c used his staff to push back the press of gruesome bodies assailing them like B-movie zombies. What could any of them have done to deserve this?

Jack's foot slipped on the slime-covered stones and Carter reached out and steadied him. Daniel was undisturbed by the jerky motion, eyes still closed as his head rested against Jack's chest.

Teal'c continued to push his way through the wailing inmates, unperturbed by the pathetic pawing of skeleton-like hands. One gaunt body with sunken eyes pounced on a skittering rat, raising it to his mouth and sinking yellowed teeth into its flesh.

Behind him, Carter gagged.

Nerve-rattling minutes later, they reached the entrance to the prison where a mob of filthy bodies clung to the gate, arms reaching for freedom through the iron bars. Teal'c efficiently dislodged them with deft moves of his staff, punctuated by threats in his deep baritone. The inmates backed away in the face of the intimidating Jaffa.

Two Rastarian guards stood on the other side of the gate, spears leveled at them. Behind them, at the end of a short tunnel, was the outside gate, pale light beckoning them to freedom.

"Open up," Jack demanded.

"You have broken our laws," one of them stated flatly. "You may not leave."

Rage boiled in Jack's gut. They didn't have time for this crap. If their radios worked in this hellhole, they'd call in SG-3 who was holding the 'gate. The zombies were back, pressing in on Teal'c and Carter who were struggling to push them away.

Maybe they shouldn't…

"Teal'c, can you take care of that lock?"

Teal'c glanced at the locked gate and then at Jack, a small dip of his head indicating he was on board with Jack's plan. Carter got it, too, joining Jack to hunch over Daniel, protecting him.

With a swing of his staff weapon, Teal'c fired before the guards could react. They fell back as white-hot shrapnel flew towards them. When the smoke cleared, the gate stood ajar. The inmates immediately realized their freedom was at hand and rushed forward.

"Move!" Jack called, turning with Carter and slipping into the moving sea of filthy bodies.

The second gate was unlocked and its two sides easily swung open under the onslaught.

Clean, fresh air filled Jack's nose as he moved out of the pit of filth and misery and into the open. Teal'c fought to blaze a path through the fleeing inmates as they poured out of the prison. Many shielded their eyes against the bright sunlight while others fell to their knees in the soft grass.

Jack held Daniel close, protecting him from flailing arms that threatened to knock him out of his grasp. If they could just get clear and head for the Stargate. The inmates began to fan out and Jack veered to the left, following Teal'c. As the path in front of them cleared, he spotted more guards coming towards them, blocking their escape. Carter pulled up next to him, knuckles white where they gripped her P-90. Teal'c, too, stopped, his staff weapon leveled at the approaching Rastarians.

The crossbow-wielding troops stopped a few yards away, parting in the middle to allow several black-robed men to push to the front. There in the center, wearing the wide, red hat of his office, was the First Minister. Jack could see his bruised and swollen face from where he stood. This man would _not _keep them from getting Daniel home.

"Let us leave."

The First Minister pulled himself up to his full height and placed his hands on his hips. "You have broken our laws and must be punished."

A shadow fell across them, and Jack looked up to see dark, gray clouds rolling across the sky, covering the sun. He turned his attention back to the man blocking his way. "Not gonna happen."

"You attacked the First Minister," one of the other men said.

"And now you have released prisoners without authorization," the pompous First Minister added, waving a hand towards the fleeing mob.

Lightening flashed across the sky, followed by a clap of thunder. The Rastarians glanced upward before turning their eyes back to Jack and his team.

"Attempting to stop us would be unwise," Teal'c warned.

But that's just what they were going to do—Jack could tell they wouldn't back down. Couldn't have outsiders coming in and shaking things up. SG-1 was outnumbered, but better armed, yet he had his own arms full of an unconscious Daniel. Jack glanced down at his friend and was startled to see his eyes open.

"Daniel?"

There was no reply, but at least the storm had startled him awake—a good sign. Daniel continued to stare, unblinking, as thunder rolled, each clap crescendoing as the lightning flashed wildly, but no rain fell. The wind came up, blowing dust into Jack's eyes and making the Rastarians grab for their hats and duck their heads.

Carter held onto her cap and braced herself against the onslaught while Teal'c continued to stand, squinting, with his staff weapon pointed at the Minister.

Daniel seemed oblivious to the building storm, luminescent blue eyes staring upward. Jack could feel a steady heartbeat against his chest, reassuring him his friend was still alive.

A powerful gust of wind rushed across the field, sparing SG-1, but hitting the Rastarians with enough force to knock some of them down. A strike of lightning close enough to raise the hairs on Jack's neck finally sent the delegation running for cover, abandoning their confrontation with SG-1.

"Head to the 'gate!" Jack shouted over the tempest. They needed to get out of the open themselves.

Teal'c moved without hesitation, jogging for the path that led to the Stargate. Jack followed, moving as quickly as he dared with his precious cargo.

Carter was on her radio, trying to contact SG-3 to tell them to dial the 'gate. The wind howled as lightning continued to flash across the sky. The Rastarian contingency was nowhere to be seen—probably high-tailing it back to their city. A glance behind him showed inmates continuing to stagger out of the prison, and Jack felt some small satisfaction that at least a few of them would manage to elude capture.

Daniel's eyes were half-lidded now, only a sliver of blue visible as he lay limp in Jack's arms. Was he even aware of anything going on around him?

Jack carefully picked his way down the rocky path that led off the open plateau where the prison was situated. The 'gate wasn't far, set within a ring of tall trees on the outskirts of the town. Fortunately, it was on the opposite side of town from the Ministry building. Behind him, the thunder quieted as the storm quickly fell apart, allowing an occasional shaft of sunlight to peak through the clouds. He couldn't help thinking that it was a bizarre coincidence that the brief, but intense, storm had arrived just in time to aid in their escape.

"SG-3's holding the 'gate open," Carter called. With any luck, Daniel would be in Fraiser's hands inside of half an hour. Daniel may have lost weight, but Jack's arms were starting to burn, and there was a definite catch in his knee. Peachy. He steeled himself against the protests of his body—six weeks they'd left Daniel here; there was no way he'd let him down now.

They passed into the trees and quickly arrived at the 'gate. SG-3 had taken up defensive positions but relaxed when they spotted SG-1. The 'gate was open and waiting, its shimmering pool beckoning them.

"Almost home, Daniel" Jack whispered as they reached the steps of the 'gate platform. Without glancing back, he followed Teal'c into the wormhole.

~o~

Fraiser, flanked by her staff, was waiting next to a gurney at the base of the ramp. She sprang up the steps when she spotted Jack and began examining Daniel while they walked.

Daniel's eyes were closed as Jack laid him on the gurney, his muck-covered limbs in sharp contrast to the pristine white sheets. Jack was gently pushed back as Fraiser and her nurses swarmed over Daniel, checking vitals even as they began moving towards the 'gateroom doors.

Jack suddenly found Hammond at his side. "Colonel, what happened?"

Visions of the squalid prison and its inmates—barely recognizable as human—sent bile rising in Jack's throat. What Daniel must have endured…. "They reneged on the deal and wouldn't let Daniel go. They stuck him in a hellhole, chained him to the floor, and left him for dead."

"Good God." Anger flared red across Hammond's face. "Go—get checked out. We can debrief later."

"Yes, sir." Jack raced after the gurney, Carter and Teal'c on his heels.


	2. Chapter 2

Enduring the Storm

Chapter 2

Jack watched the activity around Daniel's bed while he endured his own exam, answering questions and just wanting to be _done. _More than one of the medical staff had to step back from Daniel's bed and take a deep breath before continuing. A biohazard bag was carried away at arm's length and a set of clean scrubs brought in.

Finally finished with his own once-over, Jack hoped off the bed and was joined by Carter and Teal'c at the foot of their teammate's bed. He craned his neck to see Daniel, catching glimpses of skin that had been washed of filth, revealing mottled bruises.

He was drawn forward, needing to know Daniel's condition, to see for himself what had been done to his friend.

"Colonel, stay out of my way." Fraiser spoke gently but firmly. "I'll let you see him when I'm done with my exam."

He met her gaze, her deep brown eyes shining with concern. Reluctantly, he took a step back, out of the sphere of activity humming around Daniel. Carter and Teal'c stood on either side of him, a unified front, as though the three of them could _will _Daniel well. Where had that united front been when the politicians were insisting on following the diplomatic route, leaving Daniel alone in that pit? They'd been separated, sent on other missions while the bureaucrats took their sweet time dealing with the Rastarians, first in an attempt to smooth their ruffled feathers, and then negotiating for their precious naquadah. Thank God Hammond had insisted on SG-1 being the team to finalize the agreement.

Jack's blood boiled at the memory of the First Minister telling him they would trade for naquadah, but that releasing Daniel was out of the question since he was responsible for sparking a rebellion. The Minister smiled smugly and Jack recognized the man's ploy: keep Daniel as insurance that the SGC would capitulate to the Rastarians' terms in this and all future trade agreements. Jack had finalized the agreement, all right—with a fist to the Minister's face.

There'd be hell to pay once the politicians found out they weren't getting their hands on the Rastarians' naquadah, but he really didn't care. Daniel was worth more than a mountain full of naquadah; and if the big wigs didn't understand that, Jack—and Carter and Teal'c—would be happy to enlighten them.

The frenzied activity around Daniel's bed gradually subsided, leaving only Fraiser and one of the nurses. The doctor beckoned them forward and Jack quickly moved to the side of the bed. Most of the filth was gone from Daniel's body, and what little was left was being removed by Nurse Jamison. A maze of lead wires and tubing snaked over and around his body—an IV, pulse ox, heart monitor, and others Jack had become way too familiar with. And under it all was bruised and scraped skin, testament to the treatment Daniel had received. There was no ventilator, for which Jack was grateful, but Daniel's eyes were closed—dark circles against pale skin.

"He's sleeping," Fraiser explained, picking up on his concern.

"What…" Jack cleared his throat and tried again. "What about the rest?"

"Mostly bruises; we haven't detected any internal bleeding. However…"

Jack whipped his head towards her and narrowed his eyes. "What?"

She took a deep breath and let it out, raising her chin to meet his gaze head on. "His back shows signs of having been whipped."

A sharp intake of breath from Carter. Teal'c was like a taut bowstring.

"Son of a—" He'd been so covered in filth that they hadn't even seen the marks.

"They've been there awhile and, surprisingly, are mostly healed. Under those conditions, I'd expect them to all be infected, especially if… well, if he was being neglected. We're treating them topically and giving him antibiotics. I'm waiting on the rest of his test results to come back, but I'm confident he'll recover, Colonel."

Physically, maybe, but what about mentally or emotionally? Jack didn't voice that concern, sure Fraiser was thinking the same thing. Punching the First Minister hadn't been nearly enough.

"Go get cleaned up, Colonel. He'll—"

"I'm stayin', Doc."

"So am I," Carter said, pulling a chair into the spot the nurse had just vacated.

"I shall remain also." Teal'c planted himself at the foot of the bed, hands clasped behind his back.

"As I was saying," Fraiser asserted, "he'll be sleeping for awhile. You've got time to clean up and eat, then you can come back."

Jack pulled up another chair and sat down, glancing at Fraiser before turning his attention back to Daniel. They'd left him for six long weeks—no way were they leaving him now.

"At least take shifts," the doctor admonished, stuffing her hands in her pockets and heading for her office. She called back over her shoulder, "And stay out of the way of my nurses!"

~oOo~

"_Are you sure you don't want us to release your friend, Colonel O'Neill?"_

"_No, we're only interested in naquadah, Minister."_

"_Very well. Let us return to our negotiations."_

"_Jack?"_

"_Sorry, Daniel. We've got our orders."_

Jack started awake, momentarily disoriented, still lost in the dream—nightmare—of leaving Daniel behind. He looked over at his friend and found blue eyes staring back.

"Daniel?" He leaned forward, searching for a sign that his friend recognized him.

Daniel blinked, but made no move to speak.

"Are you hurting? Want me to get Fraiser?"

Another blink, but still no response or other movement. Jack glanced towards Fraiser's office where a light still shone. Looking back at Daniel, he patted his arm and stood. "I'll be right back, okay?"

There was no response, but blue eyes tracked him as he headed to Fraiser's office.

"Colonel?"

"Daniel's awake."

Fraiser followed him back to the bed. "Hey, Daniel, how are you doing?"

Daniel's gaze rested on the doctor, but still he made no attempt to respond.

"I tired talking to him, too, but he hasn't said anything," Jack explained.

"How long has he been awake?" she asked as she began her exam.

"I'm not sure. I dozed off and when I woke up he was already awake."

Fraiser flashed her penlight into each of Daniel's eyes, causing him to squeeze them shut and turn his head.

"Sorry, Daniel," she said as she took his pulse. "At least that got a reaction." She continued her exam and checked the readouts on the monitors. "Everything is within normal limits." She pulled out her tongue depressor. "Let me check your throat."

Daniel stared at her but made no move to comply. Fraiser opened her own mouth and said 'ah', then touched the depressor to Daniel's lips. This time he opened his mouth but still made no sound.

"Everything looks good," she stated, straightening.

"Any idea why he's not talking?"

She shook her head. "We should have the rest of the test results in the morning; hopefully those will tell us something."

Fraiser might not want to speculate, but Jack was pretty sure the same terrifying thought that was gnawing at him was also eating at her: brain damage. "So… what can we do for him?"

"Just keep an eye on him. You can offer him something to drink, but basically, just be patient."

She laid her hand on Daniel's arm, drawing his attention. "You're going to be okay, Daniel. Just rest. Do you want something to eat or drink?"

"A…qua."

Jack almost didn't hear the whispered word. He exchanged a glance with Fraiser as he moved closer to Daniel again. "Water? You want water?"

"Aio."

Fraiser looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"I think that's a 'yes'. " Jack picked up the glass sitting on the tray table and offered the straw to Daniel, who took it and sipped the water. Daniel watched him while he drank, but as soon as he pulled the straw away, the blue eyes blinked and slid shut.

Fraiser pulled him a few steps away from the bed. "What was he speaking?"

"I'm pretty sure it's Ancient. I forgot to tell you he did that when we first found him."

The doc didn't look pleased, eyes narrowing. "You _forgot _to mention it?"

"I figured he was dreaming. He was pretty out of it—you know what kind of shape he was in—"

Fraiser held up her hand, acknowledging his point.

"At least he's talking," Jack said optimistically.

"Talking is good, but I'd feel better if he was speaking English."

_So would I. _ Jack refused to voice his fear aloud. That it was more than Daniel's weakened condition, more than temporary confusion.

"You need to get some rest, too, Colonel."

"Are we going to have this discussion again?"

She sighed. "I'm just concerned for your health."

"My health's just fine; I'm not the one who was stuck in hell for six weeks." Not this time, anyway. Images of an Iraqi jail cell threatened to hijack his already tenuous hold on his anger.

A pained look crossed her face. "Just remember, you'll be no good to _him_ if you get sick yourself."

"I'll remember."

He could tell she wanted to say more, but instead she pursed her lips and shook her head, features softening with resignation. "Fine. Just keep the snoring down so you don't disturb the other patients."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Enduring the Storm

Chapter 3

Teal'c had relieved him around two in the morning. Daniel had remained asleep, so Jack went to his quarters and flopped down on the bed and slept—for all of three hours. He'd taken a shower and passed the commissary where he picked up coffee and a danish to go. Then he headed for the infirmary.

Carter was on duty at Daniel's bedside. She was reading a book, occasionally glancing at her still sleeping teammate. She looked up when Jack entered.

"Morning, sir."

"Morning yourself. Has he been awake at all?"

"Not since I got here an hour ago. Teal'c said he didn't wake up during the night, either."

She was staring at his Danish. "Why don't you go get some breakfast?" he suggested.

"I can wait."

"Go. You look hungry."

"If you're sure—"

"Want me to make it an order?"

She smiled. "No, I'm going. Let me know if he wakes up."

"Don't worry, I will."

Carter left and he took her seat, digging into the Danish. Daniel slept on. "Mmm, fresh coffee." He waved the cup around Daniel's nose, but there was no response. "C'mon, Daniel, get it while it's hot."

Daniel's nose twitched and his eyelids fluttered open. Wow, it actually worked.

"Look what I've got." He waved the cup again and Daniel's eyes tracked it. Grabbing the straw from the water cup, Jack tested the temp of the coffee and decided it was safe for Daniel to drink. He offered the straw and Daniel took it, sipping the dark brew. After several long sips, Jack pulled it away. "Probably enough for your first coffee in six weeks." Daniel's eyebrows pinched together; apparently he disagreed with Jack on the matter.

"Enough of what?" Fraiser's voice preceded her to Daniel's bedside.

"Uh, enough to drink?" Jack set the cup aside.

"Coffee?" Frasier did not look pleased.

"Only a taste. At least it got him to wake up."

The doctor shook her head and turned to Daniel. "Can you tell me how you're feeling, Daniel?"

Daniel's pinched look turned into a grimace, then he threw his head back and began shaking.

"He's seizing!" Fraiser flew into action, and immediately several nurses joined her. Jack moved to the foot of the bed, craning his neck to get a glimpse of Daniel as the medical personnel worked on him. Finally Daniel calmed and a couple of the nurses moved away. Fraiser adjusted the leads around his still, sweat-soaked body while a nurse cleaned him up.

"That wasn't because I gave him—"

"No, Colonel, it had nothing to do with the sips of coffee you gave him. I was just reading his test results when this happened. There's something else going on."

Ominous—that was the only word that Jack could think of to describe her tone. The doctor finished and motioned him to her office.

"Have a seat, Colonel."

Jack sat down and braced himself for bad news.

"I don't know where to start."

Oh, this was not good.

"We expected infection, even broken bones, but I didn't expect to see such… _unusual _brain activity on his PET scan."

"Unusual? As in..."

"As in, his brain is working at a higher than normal capacity—_much _higher. "

"Which means?"

She laced her fingers together and rested her arms on the desk, looking him directly in the eye. "I've only seen this once before, when you had the Ancient repository downloaded into your brain."

_What? _ Jack stared back, trying to sort out how this was possible. "How?"

"I have no idea, but if I were to guess…" She hesitated and looked away, as though not sure she should say it.

And then he got it, like a kick to the head. He knew Daniel had been able to occasionally remember events from when he was ascended. Hell, they'd been able to save Bra'tac and Ry'ac because Daniel remembered where they were. It meant somewhere in that jam-packed brain, Daniel retained some knowledge of the Ancients. And it was leaking out. Jack had no idea what had triggered it, but something had, and now it was overwhelming Daniel's brain. Something else to thank Oma for.

"You think the Ancient knowledge tucked away in his brain has gotten loose."

"I'm afraid that's exactly what's happened," she said meeting his gaze. "In which case, there's nothing I can do to stop it."

Jack had no response, no argument. He knew all too well that the only way to stop it was with the Asgard's help. "Then we need to contact Thor and get them to reverse it."

"I haven't had a chance to present this to General Hammond yet, but I think that's exactly what we need to do. And as soon as possible. His vital organs will eventually start shutting down, and with his already weakened state…"

There was no time to waste. "Call Hammond. I'll round up Carter and Teal'c and meet you in the briefing room."

She nodded and reached for the phone.

~oOo~

Twenty-four hours later, there was still no word from the Asgard.

Jack sat at Daniel's bedside again, feeling completely helpless. Daniel had had another seizure, and Fraiser had detected the first hints that his body was starting to shut down. Jack had wanted to kick something, but before his foot contacted the wall in a moment of anger he'd painfully regret later, Fraiser had shooed him out, insisting he not come back until he could control himself. An hour later he was begging to get back in. The doc had mercy on him and allowed him to resume his vigil, which told him just how concerned she was about Daniel's chances.

Where was Thor? Hammond had authorized contacting the Asgard as soon as he learned of Daniel's condition. Jack knew they were recovering from their battle with the replicators, but they'd always responded in the past. He was hoping—praying—the mechanical bugs hadn't escaped their containment field again, or, heaven forbid, some new threat had popped up.

Daniel's hand twitched and Jack hesitated before he leaned forward and grasped it between his own two hands; to hell with what anyone thought. He'd always been pretty hands-off when it came to comfort; his usual MO was to use humor, but Daniel had always managed to get around his defenses—and since his return from the 'higher planes', Jack was keenly aware that sometimes the situation required more than snappy one-liners "Shhh, it's okay, Daniel. Thor's gonna fix you up, but you gotta hang in there till he gets here." He started gently rubbing the back of Daniel's hand, hoping it was soothing enough to help stave off another seizure. Fraiser would probably tell him there was no connection between the two, but he wanted to think that Daniel would respond to it. Even if it didn't make Daniel feel better, it made him feel like he was doing something to help.

The twitching stopped and Jack relaxed. Still, he continued to rub Daniel's hand. "Atta boy." Jack closed his eyes and dropped his head, never releasing Daniel's hand. He thought back to the last time he'd been at Daniel's bedside, waiting for him to die of radiation poisoning. All the things he'd wanted to say and didn't—what was he thinking? All he could come up with was that he _admired _Daniel _a little? _He'd had a lot of time to consider those words, and now here he was again. If Thor didn't come through, Daniel would… No, he refused to believe they'd lose him again. Even so, he didn't want to choose the wrong words this time.

"Hang in there, Daniel. For Carter, for Teal'c, for me. We all care about you; you're part of our family. Don't leave us again, because, I gotta tell you, we won't survive it a second time. You have to know how much you mean to us. You're the glue that holds our little family together. Fight this—you're the strongest person I know; if anyone can do it, you can. Please."

Fingers gently squeezed his hand and he looked up to see slivers of blue peaking out from half-closed eyelids.

"Daniel?"

"J…a…c…k."

Jack grinned and leaned closer. "Hey, welcome back."

Daniel smiled weakly.

"Did you hear… ya know… what I said?"

Fingers squeezed his hand again, sending a flood of warmth through him. "Good, 'cause I'm not gonna repeat it."

Another squeeze. "Eet…ium."

Jack chuckled, glad Daniel understood, but did he comprehend everything? "I don't know if you understand what's going on, but apparently all that Ancient stuff you've got crammed in your head is trying to get out." Daniel continued to watch him, but made no sound. "We've called Thor; I'm sure the Asgard can stop it, just like they did with me. Just hang on a little longer, okay?"

The corners of Daniel's mouth turned up slightly, but then his eyes rolled back and his body spasmed as another seizure took hold.

"Doc!"

Daniel's hand was like a vise around Jack's. He rubbed his other hand up and down his friend's arm, hoping to loosen the muscles and the tight hold on his hand. Fraiser and two nurses rushed to Daniel's bedside and began working on him. Fraiser held up a syringe, which she inserted into the IV bag. It didn't take long for Daniel's body to calm, his hand releasing its death grip on Jack.

"Are you all right?" she asked him.

"Fine—hand might be bruised, but it's not bad."

She took a quick look at it. "You might put some ice on it."

"I will."

They both stood silently, gazes resting on Daniel as the nurses took care of him.

"He's getting worse, Colonel." Her words were spoken quietly and Jack picked up the hint of fear underneath them.

"The Asgard'll come through. They like Daniel; they'll fix him."

"Sir," she turned to face him, eyes shining as she held back tears. "I think you'd better be prepared in case they don't."

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Enduring the Storm

Chapter 4

Personnel moved out of the way as Jack sprinted down the hallway towards the briefing room, Carter and Teal'c on his heels. Finally—the Asgard were calling.

Daniel's last seizure had sent him into a coma. Fraiser was grim-faced when she gave them the news, and the three of them had taken up a vigil at his bedside. That's where they'd been for the past eighteen hours, until they'd gotten the call. Jack knew Thor wouldn't let them down; he just hoped he wasn't too late.

They took the stairs to the briefing room and found Hammond standing at the head of the conference table, the rest of the room empty.

"Where is he?" Jack asked.

"We received a communication just a few minutes ago," Hammond explained. "He should be—"

Thor materialized next to the conference table in the form of a hologram. "Greetings."

"Thor, buddy!"

"O'Neill. I apologize for the delayed response to your communication. There is much work to be done to recover from the destruction caused by the Replicators."

"I know you're busy, but Daniel's in trouble here."

"I am sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, our rebuilding is at a critical stage and I am needed on Orilla."

What the hell? They needed more than a hologram dropping in to say 'hi'. "You're needed here, too. Daniel's _dying_. Isn't that more important than building stuff?"

"Colonel," Hammond warned.

Thor's head tilted slightly. "The reconstruction of our civilization is of the utmost importance, O'Neill. Our very survival is at stake."

"So's Daniel's!"

"Stand down, Colonel." Hammond's lips were pressed tightly together, his blue eyes blazing, obviously not happy with Jack's style of diplomacy. His voice softened as he addressed the Asgard. "Thor, we understand your people are in a difficult situation, but you need to understand our dilemma; there's no one else who can remove the Ancient knowledge from Doctor Jackson's mind. His body is already shutting down under the strain."

"I was not aware Doctor Jackson had interfaced with one of the Ancients' repositories."

"He didn't," Carter said. "He spent the last six weeks imprisoned and tortured. Something happened to cause his repressed memories to resurface. It's overwhelming his mind."

"He has now fallen into a coma," Teal'c added.

"That is most unfortunate," Thor replied, voice sounding almost sad.

"_Unfortunate_?" Jack repeated. "This is_ Daniel_ we're talking about. The man who opened the Stargate, who's made countless allies for Earth, who's fought the Goa'uld tirelessly, and who even sacrificed himself for an entire planet of strangers. If you let him die, you'll be depriving the universe of one of the most intelligent, caring, inspiring—" Jack stopped, took a breath and let it out; shouting wasn't going to help. He continued, voice calm and even. "You once told me that we had the potential to become the Fifth Race. It's because of Daniel, and people like him, that we've been able to come as far as we have. Isn't that worth saving? Isn't _he_?"

Silence settled over the room, all eyes on the hologram whose decision could mean life or death for Daniel.

Thor's dark eyes drifted across the four people waiting for his response, coming to rest on Jack. "Yes, he is. Doctor Jackson's contributions are inestimable. I fear that in our struggle to rebuild our own society, we have lost sight of the ideals upon which it is based. Each time we have asked, SG-1 has come to our aid; I will gladly reciprocate. As soon as I have apprised the Council, I will depart for Earth."

_Yes! _Relief washed over him. Asgard ships were fast—extremely fast. Thor would be here in no time and would remove the Ancient knowledge from Daniel's head. "Thanks, Thor."

"We appreciate your willingness to help," General Hammond added.

"I will return as soon as I am able." Thor's hologram disappeared, and Jack grasped tightly to the small sliver of hope he'd been given.

~oOo~

The three teammates entered the infirmary to find Janet and her nurses surrounding Daniel's bed.

"What's going on, Doc?"

Fraiser brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face as she looked up at Jack. "He coded, but we got him back."

Jack pushed past her to get closer to Daniel, while Carter and Teal'c moved to the other side of the bed. He'd been intubated, the hiss of the ventilator a harsh reminder that they were losing him.

"His body is shutting down," Fraiser said. "I don't know how long—"

"Thor's on his way."

Fraiser looked at him again, brown eyes full of hope, but tinged with fear. She gave him a weak smile and nodded her head. "I'll… be in my office. Call me if…when…"

"We will." Jack grasped her arm and squeezed gently. "Thanks, Doc."

She turned and walked back to her office, heels clicking mournfully in the otherwise quiet infirmary.

Jack pulled up a chair—Carter did the same on the other side while Teal'c continued to stand. He reached over and placed his hand over Daniel's. It was cold, the chill seeping into Jack's own hand. He followed the trail of scratches and bruises up the pale arm to where the machine pumped air in and out of his friend's body.

Sam reached up and brushed Daniel's hair away from his face, her hand gently tracing the edge of the hairline down and around his ear. The setting was eerily familiar and it made Jack want to get up and run. He did _not _want to do this again—once was one time too many. But he stayed put and gently rubbed Daniel's hand, hoping the connection would let Daniel know they were here for him. Thor would make it in time—he had to. "Hang in there, Daniel. Help's on the way."

Sam looked across at him, tears welling at the corners of her eyes.

"Carter—Sam, he'll make it." The words sounded hollow, even to him. Their luck had run out before—had come crashing down in a rain of broken glass and air heavy with radiation. Daniel had been 'saved' then, though they didn't know it at the time. He supposed he should thank Oma for that, but he was still coming to terms with a year's worth of grief and loss, and a returned teammate who was still finding his way back to them.

Sam nodded even as she swiped at a tear that escaped. Teal'c moved closer and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

The beep of the monitors and hiss of the ventilator sounded like a clock, ticking down the seconds and minutes, each one taking Daniel farther away from them. He'd survived weeks in that prison—survived filth and beatings and starvation. When they found him, Jack had been so sure they'd made it in time; that Daniel would heal and eventually be back to his old self. They couldn't lose him now. He resisted looking at the clock—Thor would make it; he only had billions of light years to travel—what could go wrong?

Soft footsteps preceded a gentle voice. "How's he doing?" General Hammond asked as he stood at the end of the bed.

"Not well," Jack replied, standing to meet his CO, "but hanging in there."

"He's a stong-willed individual; I'm confident he'll make it through this."

"Is that your way of saying he's stubborn?"

Hammond chuckled. "That he is. " The general moved closer, placing a hand on Daniel's shoulder. "We're all here for you, son. Hang on." He glanced at each member of SG-1. "Take care of him and keep me posted."

"Of course, sir." Jack sat down and resumed his vigil.

Hammond's footsteps quietly faded away, only to be replaced by Siler's a few minutes later. And after Siler came Sargeant Harriman, followed by Doctor Lee, and, at various intervals, several members of Daniel's staff. Finally, Fraiser politely shooed them out and pulled the curtain around Daniel and his team. She checked him over again, smiled sadly at each of them, and returned to her office, silence once again enveloping them.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Enduring the Storm

Chapter 5

The beeping of one of the monitors changed as though shifting gears, bringing Jack to his feet. A nurse responded almost immediately and Carter and Teal'c moved back, allowing her to check the readout and then Daniel.

"What's going on?" Jack asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

Fraiser suddenly appeared, pushing past Jack to check on her patient. "His organs are failing," she said. "If Thor doesn't—"

There was a bright flash of light and Jack found himself on Thor's ship, along with the rest of his team and Fraiser. Daniel was now lying on a low platform in the center of a circle of light, free of the intubation tube and all of the leads and monitors that had been attached to him.

"I apologize for the delay," Thor said as he stood at his console.

"Better late than never," Jack quipped, trying and failing to relieve his own tension.

Thor moved several control crystals on the console. "This is most unusual."

"What is it?" Fraiser asked, gaze shifting between Thor and Daniel.

"I am afraid I am unable to remove the Ancient knowledge from Doctor Jackson's mind."

"_What?" _Jack was stunned, unable to process the implications of Thor's statement.

"But you've done this before," Carter countered. "Why not now?"

"That is true, however, that situation was different. O'Neill interfaced with one of the Ancients' repositories. The information was foreign to his mind and easily detected and removed."

"And what of Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asked.

"The Ancient knowledge in his mind was not introduced from an outside source."

"And? So? Therefore?" Jack's patience was stretched like a rubber band ready to snap.

"The knowledge is a part of him. In that respect, he _is _an Ancient."

"But he's been carrying the knowledge inside him since he descended," Fraiser said. "He believes Oma locked it away so it wouldn't overwhelm his mind. Can't you lock it away again?"

"I do not have the knowledge or technology to do such a procedure. I am sorry."

"But… " Jack looked from Thor to Daniel, fear turning his blood to ice. If Thor couldn't heal him… He settled himself on the pallet and laid his hand on Daniel's arm. "Can you heal his body?"

"I may be able to heal some of it, but I'm afraid it will only be temporary."

"Sir," Carter said quietly, settling on the other side of the pallet, "do you really want to put Daniel through this again?"

Jack looked up and met her red-rimmed eyes. As much as he wanted to keep Daniel here with them, he wouldn't subject him to more pain, especially if it wasn't going to… save him. "No, I don't."

Teal'c and Fraiser moved closer, closing ranks around their teammate, as though the warmth of their presence would provide a miracle cure. Stranger things had happened. He just hoped Daniel knew they were here—that he wasn't alone.

The light surrounding them suddenly intensified and Daniel's body glowed for a brief second.

"Thor? Did you do something?" Jack asked.

"I did not. However, the readings have changed."

"Changed?"

"Yes. This is most unusual. It appears Doctor Jackson is—"

"Whoa!" Jack exclaimed as Daniel's arm moved in his grasp.

"—healing," Thor finished.

Daniel turned is head towards Jack and opened his eyes. "Jack?"

"Daniel? You're… how… what happened?"

His friend's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Not… sure."

Fraiser leaned in and took Daniel's pulse. "How are you feeling?"

"Janet?"

Fraiser beamed at him. "Glad you remember me."

She continued checking him over while Jack kept his hand firmly on Daniel's arm, as though he could anchor Daniel to this world, afraid if he let go his friend would dissolve into a million beads of light and float away. Not this time.

Fraiser finished her exam. "Pulse and temp are normal; he's breathing okay—"

"My scans show his body is returning to normal," Thor stated.

"Thor?" Daniel craned his neck to look around Jack, searching for the Asgard.

"How is that possible?" Jack asked.

"I do not know," Thor replied.

"Where are we?" Daniel's gaze was darting around the room.

"On Thor's ship," Carter replied taking Daniel's other hand in hers. Jack wasn't the only one trying to keep Daniel anchored to them.

"Why?"

"You were, uh, pretty sick," Jack answered, not wanting to reveal just how serious it had been, since his friend seemed to have no memory of it. Leave it to Daniel to figure it out.

"I must have been pretty bad if you called Thor. Wait… was I… _dying_?"

"The Ancient knowledge you possess was overwhelming your mind, which in turn led to your body shutting down." And leave it to Teal'c to state the blunt truth.

Jack was sure Daniel was going to have a permanent crease in his forehead if he didn't quit scrunching it together. "I know you've got a lot of questions, but maybe we should save them for later."

"Help me up."

Or not.

"Take it slowly, Daniel," Fraiser admonished as Jack and Carter helped him sit up. "Are you hurting anywhere?"

"Uh… not really. A little tired maybe. Anyone gonna tell me what's going on?"

Jack exchanged glances with his teammates and Fraiser, none of whom made a move to explain. He sighed. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Daniel's forehead creased again as he considered the question. "We were negotiating with the Rastarians."

"That's it?" Could he dare hope Daniel wouldn't remember the horror of the past six weeks?

"Colonel," Fraiser cautioned, "maybe we should save this for later."

"No, I need to know." Daniel closed his eyes as he fought to draw out the memories. "We toured the city. They weren't as advanced as us—very low tech. They let me look at some of their ancient texts and—" Daniel's face went pale and Jack felt minute tremors under his hand. "Oh, God."

Nope, no such luck. Jack wrapped his arm around Daniel's shoulders and held tightly as his friend dealt with the memories of the torture he'd endured. Carter kept her hold on his hand and rubbed her hand up and down his arm.

Jack remembered, too, every detail etched in his mind in living color. Daniel had discovered their 'god' was a Goa'uld and proceeded to tell them so. Which was a big no-no. They'd arrested him for blasphemy and thrown him in prison. And when SG- had been allowed to return, they'd been told that Daniel had sparked an uprising by trying to escape and taking some of the other prisoners with him. Jack had no idea if there was any truth to it, and he wasn't about to ask Daniel. Didn't matter now—it was over; wouldn't change anything one way or the other. Besides, nothing Daniel had done warranted the kind of treatment he'd received. Nothing.

The tremors subsided and Jack felt Daniel's muscles relax. He turned is head, pinning Jack with his deep blue gaze. "How… how long… "

Now it was Jack's turn to tense up. How was he going to explain this to his friend? That they hadn't been able to come for him sooner? Anything he said would sound trivial in the face of Daniel's suffering. But Daniel demanded the truth and Jack wouldn't deny him. He'd accept the consequences, no matter what they were. "Six weeks."

Eyelids fluttered closed, shutters against the truth.

"We're so sorry, Daniel," Carter managed to say, her voice choking. "We tried—"

Daniel grabbed for Carter's hand, eyes flying open and head shaking. "Don't, Sam. I know you guys would do anything to get me out. I'm not blaming you for this."

She tried to smile, nodding her head without speaking.

"How _did _you get me out?"

"The Rasties had a change of heart," Jack said, drawing Daniel's gaze.

"What changed their minds?"

"I made them an offer they couldn't refuse."

Daniel narrowed his eyes. "What did you do?"

"O'Neill assaulted the First Minister," Teal'c said, voice sounding downright smug.

"I didn't assault him! I just sort of… punched him… in the face."

Daniel's eyebrows shot up to his hairline.

"The First Minister was extremely forthcoming afterward," Teal'c added.

"He gave us the key, we made our way in, found you, and left again."

"Why do I have the feeling you've left something out?"

"When we found you, you were speaking Ancient." Teal'c was helpful, if nothing else.

"I was speaking Ancient?" A range of emotions crossed Daniel's face, from surprise to confusion.

"Something must have… triggered it," Carter said hesitantly.

"But you managed to hang on till we got there," Jack added.

"I knew you'd come," Daniel said quietly. "It was the only thing… that kept me going."

"It's over now, Daniel. No need to dwell. What's important is that we found you and brought you home."

"They just let you walk in, get me, and walk out again?"

Jack sighed. Like a dog with a bone. "Okay, so they were reluctant to let us leave. Teal'c blew the gate open, some of your fellow prisoners decided to take advantage of it, and the First Minister and his goons tried to stop us."

Daniel searched the faces around him. "How did you get away?"

"Actually, it was a bit odd," Carter replied. "A storm suddenly came up—lots of lightning and wind. In fact, it blew some of the Rastarians off their feet and they ran back to the village. It was almost as though the storm _targeted _them."

Daniel stared, a faraway look in his eyes. "I remember that."

"Well, you did open your eyes at that point," Jack said. "I figured the storm woke you up."

Daniel continued to stare silently. Jack shook his arm, afraid he was having a relapse. "Daniel?"

His friend turned toward him, his eyes the deepest blue Jack had ever seen them. Daniel shook his head and looked away. "Yeah, that was it."

A tiny shiver slithered up Jack's spine. There was something Daniel wasn't telling him. However, now wasn't the time to press the issue. He'd save that for later.

"I suggest we get you back to the SGC," Janet said, apparently having similar feelings.

"Thor, buddy, thanks for dropping everything and coming to help." Jack was extremely grateful the Asgard were their allies.

"You are welcome, even though I do not believe I did anything to aid Doctor Jackson."

And there it was—a slew of unanswered questions: Daniel's mostly healed wounds that by all rights should have been festering with infection, Daniel speaking Ancient, a sudden storm that facilitated their escape, and a comatose Daniel suddenly returned to health, or at least on his way to it.

Thor had insisted he'd done nothing, but _something _had caused Daniel to start healing. Jack had his theories, but he wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to get any answers from Daniel—his memory, at least for the moment, was like Swiss cheese. Part of Jack wanted to know, and part of him was just happy to have his friend back. Could he be satisfied with that?

Daniel's arm was warm beneath Jack's hand, free of radiation sores, healthy and alive. His friend had been given another chance, but so had Jack. How many people got the opportunity to do things over—to do them _right_? A chance to say things he hadn't been able to the first time; to let Daniel know he was valued… and yes, loved. It was a gift, not to be questioned. So yeah, Jack could be satisfied with it.

Jack met Daniel's gaze. "Doesn't matter, Thor. We've got Daniel back, and that's all that counts."

A genuine smile from his friend confirmed his statement.

"Let's go home."

The End


End file.
